Interlocking furnace arch



Aug. 11, 1925. 1,549,583

- A. D. LONG, SR

INTERLOCKING FURNACE ARCH filed Oct. 12. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 attouwq 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. D. LONG, 51? INTERLOCKING FURNACE ARCH Fiied' Oct. 12. 1922 Aug. 11, 1925.

Patented Aug. 11, 1925.

UNITED STATES ALLAN D. LONG, $3., OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

INTERLOCKING FURNACE ARCH.

Application .flled October 12, 1922. Serial No. 594,041.

Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that ALLAN D. LoNG, Sn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, has invented new and useful Improvements in Interlocking Furnace Arches, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide an arch and means for supporting the same, and particularly anarch of the flat type which is found in practice to be more cilicient than the arched type particularly in connection with furnaces designed for certain nn-poses, wherein the support is not directly dependent upon the side walls of the furnace and therefore so that the weight of the arch does not tend to spread the walls of the furnace and necessitate an extra thickness and proportionate expense in the building and cost of material of the side walls in order to withstand the strain which is applied thereto; to provide an arch of such construction as to effect an economy not only in the building of the walls to support skew-backs but wherein the use of extra buck-stays may be avoided; to provide an arch which, being flat affords a surface peculiarly adapted for efficient ignition, uniform distrlbutlon of gases and reduction in maintenance costs, which may be used in connection with a wide range of furnaces such as boiler fire boxes, heating furnaces, heat treat furnaces and the like; and moreover to provlde a furnace arc-h wherein the blocks or other units entering into its construction may be independently and separately removed and replaced to effect repairs and changes, w1thout necessitating the complete closing down or protracted inactivityof the plant; andwith these objects in view the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein t Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, Figure 2 is a front view, and Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view of a furnace of the stoker type equipped with a suspended interlocking arch constructed in accordance with the invention. The furnace selected for the illustration of an arch embodying the invention is of the stoker type having a V-grate 10 and stoker magazines 11 with the boiler 12 arranged in surmounting relation at one end 15 are extension or hanger plates or frames 19 extending longitudinally of the furnace and serving to support courses of foot blocks 20 positioned by the inwardly deflected lower edges 21 of the inner cast iron walls of the magazines and keyed as indicated at 22 to lining members 23 of cast iron or the like. These foot blocks are suspended by means of hangers 24 which in the construction illustrated are of hook form attached to anchor rods 25 embedded in the foot blocks and engaged with the extension or hanger plates or frames by means of inwfprdly directed perforated flanges 26 there- 0 Surmounting the courses of foot blocks, of which a course is arranged at each side of the furnace fire box is a course (one or more may be used) of spacing blocks 27 havmg an interlocking engagement with the foot blocks as indicated at 28 and also supported from the side extension or hanger frames by the hangers 24 which are connected with anchor rods 29 embedded in said spacing blocks.

The arch proper consists of rows of course blocks 30 of angular formation having relatively offset upper and lower portions forming downwardly and upwardly facing shoulders 31 and 32 respectively at opposite sides thereof, and a row or series of key blocks 33 having reduced lower or inner ends forming downwardly facing shoulders 34 at opposite sides thereof to bear upon the upwardly facing inner shoulders 33 of the course blocks. The terminal or marginal course blocks at the sides of the arch have an interlocking engagement with the spacer blocks 27 by reason of fitting into angular seats 35 in the latter. Each course and key block of the arch proper is independently supported from an overhead object, in this case consisting of the top framework comprising the tiaiisverse I-beams 15 and spacing T-bars 17, by hanger hooks 36 connected with anchor plates 37 fitted into said arch blocks i (30 and 31) and secured by anchor pins 39,

This construction of arch wherein the units consisting of the course and T-blocks are suspended from an. overhead sup ort provides for the displacement and rep acement of separate units to effect repairs or substitute a block for one which has become cracked or broken, without disturbing the arch as an entirety and merely by removing the ke block or unit of the transverse course 1n which the injured block occurs and 4 shifting the adjacent blocks to permit of upwardly removing the same. It Wlll be noted that the joints through the arch are broken by the interlocking or overlapping relation between adjacent blocks, and a similar relation between the terminal or margin- ,al courses and the spacing blocks and bespace at the rear of the furnace between the plane of the arch and the supporting structure is fitted with a course of closure blocks 40 of stepped construction having an interlocking engagement with the rear transverse course of arch units and having its blocks suspended by hanger hooks 41 engaged as are the hanger hooks 42 of the rear courses of arch units with a special bracket frame 43 extended transversely at the back of the furnace in the plane of the top supporting frame and Within the vertical plane of the space between the boiler front 13 and the endof the boiler 12. The hanger hooks of the other arch units are engaged with the T-bars 17.

Furthermore the upper ends of the blocks forming the arch units are preferably reduced as shown at 44 and as indicated particularly in Figure 1, and in the spaces between these reduced upper ends of the arch units are arranged filler bricks 45 having an overlapping relation withthe adjacent surfaces of adjoining units so as to still further break the joints between the arch units to insure an air tight structure.

The construction of thearch provides for freedom of expansion and contraction by reason of variations in temperature without opening up the joints for the escape of gases or the induction of cold air.

As indicated in Figure 2 the front wall of the furnace is preferably provided with a segmental'relieving arch which as indicated in dotted lines consists of course blocks 30 and the key block 33 corres nding in construction respectively with t e courseiblocks and key blocks of the flat arch previously described and having the interlocking features thereof as fully explained in reference to the flat arch units for the purpose of sustaining the weight of the portion of the front wall above said relievlng arch while permitting the removal of the masonry below the arch and around the fuel and poker doors to replaceburnt out or fractured bricks. Thus the special blocks or units rcquired in the construction of the overhead suspension flat arch, and of which at the utmostonly five different forms of molds are required (the course blocks being reversible and therefore making it unnecessary to provide rights and lefts), may be utilized to provide a substantial relieving arch for the front wall and thereby insure the permanency of that portion of the front wall which is not subject to rapid deterioration due to the internal heat of the furnace and the jarring of the masonry immediately adjacent to the doors or poker holes.

A further utility of the peculiar construction of arch unit herein disclosed resides in the fact that it may be used in the formation of a reduced arch in certain small types of boiler furnaces wherein the flat arch can not be effectively installed, to the end that the advantage of the interlocking feature may be secured to maintain an air-tight condition.

Having described the invention, What is 100 claimed as new and useful is 1. A flat arch for furnace fire boxes consisting of interlocked blocks independently suspended from an overhead support, said overhead support consisting of a metallic frame having transverse I-beams and longitudinal T-bars supported by and extending the intervals between the I-beams, and a filler of refractory material in the intervals between the I-beams and T-bars, and the blocks having hangers penetrating the refractory material and engaging over said T-bars.

2. A flat arch for furnace fire boxes consisting of interlocked blocks independently suspended from an overhead support, longitudinal courses of foot blocks being interposed between the marginal edges of the arch and the adjacent walls of the furnace and having an interlocking connection respectively therewith, and independent means for suspending the blocks in said courses.

3. A flat arch for furnace fire boxes consisting of interlocked blocks independently having interlocking connection with each other and with said arch and furnace walls, and independent means for supporting the foot and spacing blocks. 4. A flat arch for furnace fire boxes consisting of interlocked blocks, a metallic frame disposed above said blocks, the latter being each provided with means for its independent support from said frame, side hanger frames, foot blocks, independent supporting mean's depending from said hanger frames for supporting the foot blocks, and spacing blocks interposed between the foot blocks and the terminal blocks of the arch and interlocked respec tively with the two, said independent supporting means having positive connections with and supporting each spacing block.

5. A flat arch for furnace'fire boxes consisting of interlocked blocks, a metallic frame disposed above said blocks, the latter being each provided with means for its independent support from said frame, side hanger frames, spacing blocks interposed between the foot blocks and the terminal blocks of'the arch and interlocked respectively with the two, the spacing blocks being supported .in common with the foot blocks, the side walls of the furnace being extended below the hanger plates and inwardly deflected at their lower edges, and lining members interposed between the foot blocks and said wall extension and having a keyed connection with the foot blocks.

6. In a flat arch for furnace fire boxes, the combination with an overhead support consisting of a metallic frame comprising transverse I-beams and'longitudinal T-bars supported by and extending the intervals between the I-beams, and a refractory filler for said frame, of an arch consisting'of interlocked blocks, means fitted into the refractory material and engaging over the T- bars and operatively connected to the arch of the furnace walls and conforming thereto, foot blocks interlocked with the lining members, and spacing blocks interposed between the foot blocks and the marginal longitudinal edges of the arch and interlocked respectively therewith. g

7. In a flat arch for furnace fire boxes, the combination with an overhead support consisting of a metallic frame comprising transverse I-beams and longtitudinal T -bars supported by and extending the intervals between the I-beams, and a refractory filler for said frame, of an arch consisting, of interlocked blocks, means fitted into the refractory material and engaging over the T- bars and operatively connected to the arch for supporting the same, side hanger frames depending from the first frame, said furnace having side walls ad'acent the side hanger frames and extendlng below said side hanger frames and havin their lower edges inwardly deflected, lining members supported upon the inwardly deflected parts of the furnace wallsand conforming thereto', foot blocks interlocked with the lining members, spacing blocks interposed between the foot blocks and the marginal longitudinal edges of the arch and interlocked respectively therewith, and hanger means suspended from the side hanger frames and operatively connected to and supporting the foot blocks and'thespacing blocks respectively. i

In testimony whereof he aflixes his signature.

ALLAN D. LONG, SR. 

